2000 Ford Ranger XLT (6 Cyl)

Got some code which prompted me to change the plugs. Doing so, cleared-up the running problem and now the truck purrs like a kitten. "Check Engine" light did not go out, but I figured it needed to be reset and let it go because there were no other problems. Then, I started getting an occasional burst of tones which sounded similar to the seat belt warning. Everything continued to work right and a web search said it could be nothing, so I let it go for a week or two because I don't really take this vehicle far from home.

Took the truck to Autozone to ask them to reset the light and see if it gave any other codes. Couldn't get a reading. The parts store tech suggested it could be the fuse, so I took the truck home and a day or so later (today), I got out the manual and found that it's fuse 17 (on the dash) which when I pulled it, I saw it had blown.

Because that fuse doesn't really feed anything more than the DLC and the lighter, I left it out as I went back to the Autozone to get more 25a mini fuses. I was out. Driving to the store and stopping at a few others, I noticed that the beeping had stopped. I'm now thinking maybe it was indicating the blown fuse.

When I got home, with the engine off and the keys out of the ignition, I popped a new fuse in the slot which immediately sparked and blowed. Before I waste another fuse to see if that was a bad one, any thoughts about what else I should check?

Thanks

 

I think you need a wiring diagram for that circuit, then you can check the wiring & items the fuse supplies power to. Also, if they make a mini blade type circuit breaker, it may be a good investment. Good luck.

 

Okay. Now I feel stupid...

The manual says the DLC and cigarette lighter is what goes through that fuse. After getting your reply, I went out and looked. The cigarette lighter was pushed-in, so I pulled it out, then put in a new fuse which didn't blow.

For fun, I started the car and the tone sounded as it has been for a week or so. After shutting it off, I repulled the fuse to check if it had blown without me noticing. It hadn't, so I ran the car without the fuse and I must have imagined that it worked this afternoon without the tone.

Thanks to your suggestion, my fuse-blowing problem was as simple as taking out the cigarette lighter, but I'm still getting five sets of five tones and unlike what I said in my initial post, they aren't the same as the seat belt indicator. They're more of an alarm sound, rather than the seat belt/door chime.

If anybody has any suggestions, I'm all ears. Otherwise, maybe tomorrow or the next day, I'll make a new post. (Though I keep coming back here searching the archive for answers, I don't know how the mods feel about multi-problem posts. I'm guessing they aren't encouraged)

Thanks again for the help. I hadn't thought about checking the lighter prior to your reply.

 

Turn the key one click for the air bag/SRS idiot light bulb check i think the beeps might be telling you the bulb is burned out.

 

Okay, now I feel really stupid...

I hadn't done it previously, but if you click my name and display my posts, you'll see that the only other time I posted to this forum, I mentioned that I had gotten a beep code which told me the air bag light was burned-out. IOW: In 2012, my other Ford had the same problem, but maybe because I counted the beeps and used that to search the forum that time and this time I didn't count until today, I hadn't seen the possibility until your helpful response.

Yes, the airbag light isn't working and though I had forgotten until I was reminded, I had the same problem in a different vehicle a few years ago.

Thanks. That's it. @87 XLT and @Ranger88 Den have both been great helps.